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Study: Abortions fall to 40-year low

The number of abortions performed in the U.S. has reached a historic low, dropping to under 1 million for the first time since 1975, according to a report released Tuesday.

The report from the pro-abortion rights Guttmacher Institute says there were 926,000 U.S. abortions in 2014 and 957,000 in 2013.

The abortion rate fell to 14.6 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44, the lowest rate ever recorded by the institute.

The study didn't investigate reasons behind the decline in abortions, but the authors wrote that improved contraceptive use could be in play.

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The authors also noted that laws passed at the state level restricting abortion could have contributed to the decline.

"While many find ways to access care despite these obstacles, some of the abortion rate decline is likely attributable to women who were prevented from accessing needed services," wrote Rachel Jones, lead author of the study.

According to the study, the sharpest declines in abortions occurred in the west and the south, while smaller declines were seen in the northeast and midwest.

The incoming Trump administration is expected to have an impact on abortion access.

Trump's pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), is also a staunch opponent of abortion and has consistently received ratings of 100 percent from the National Right to Life Committee.